


Incense

by japangirlcmw



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Eventual Smut, M/M, Multi, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-15
Updated: 2013-08-15
Packaged: 2017-12-23 13:20:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/926931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/japangirlcmw/pseuds/japangirlcmw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel and Lucifer decide to take Sam away for a bit, to give him a chance to relax, away from hunts. The Holy Temple was Gabriel's idea, and within it's walls, the three begin to understand their relationship is more intertwined than they thought. A three-part story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Incense

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this was supposed to be a one-shot of shameless Sabrifer smut. But, then I got into the story a little bit, and the smut will start in chapter two, and continue to chapter three. The setup is important though, so read this. Seriously.

The room was thick. Air hazy, with smoke and heat, lust and prayer, the offerings reaching up to the heavens, while the ragged breathing paid homage to the instincts of the Earth dwelling.

It was the perfect hideaway, in the middle of nowhere, the desert. An Oasis, cool springs having popped up millions of years ago, in the middle of an unspoiled landscape, flat and empty. It had once been used as a hideout for a prophet—who was lost to him after so many years—but now; it was the perfect place to escape. From responsibility, from worry, from the searching eyes and judging fingers of home.

The large crisis had been halted, and now, hunting was just as it once was—All manner of bad things attacking humans as usual, and the brothers would travel, still protecting who they could. But even though there was no impending doom, it didn’t mean that Sam hadn’t been tired. The past had taken its toll, and he had felt for a long time that he needed a break. Not just a day in another dirty hotel room, sitting in front of a television, eating stale food and just waiting for the next hectic day to come.

He needed something to relax him, deeply. He needed to reset, he needed to forget everything. If only for one day.

When he had been zapped to the middle of the Egyptian Desert with a certain candy-obsessed Archangel, Sam didn’t know what to expect. Even though the plans had just been made, there He was standing, standing before the ornately carved doors of the stone building, as if afraid to reach out and touch. Lucifer, the Morning Star, perhaps intimidated by this one barrier.

It was a Holy place, Gabriel had told him. Maybe the Devil was a little nervous about stepping foot inside. Of course, he hid it, and when he turned at the sudden flap of Gabriel’s wings, the familiar face of Nick staring back at him, much more attractive and less revolting without the burning flesh, all he saw was welcome. A soft smirk, something which Sam realized Gabriel had learned to mimic.

“Hello, brother. Sammy.” He emphasized the nickname, knowing it often got under Sam’s skin, to be called something which normally only passed his brothers lips. Sam bristled at the greeting, but knew why he was here.

He was here to forgive. He was here to feel something that wasn’t fear, trepidation or evil. Gabriel had assured him it was the perfect setting—a place where evil couldn’t pass. He had silently wished that this holy place had existed somewhere in the US. It would be a great base. No more warding needed.

“Nice to see you, bro,” Gabriel began, walking forward with a spring in his step, as usual. “Hope you aren’t armed.”

Lucifer visibly flinched, and looked suddenly too serious, the smirk disappearing from his lips. “Gabriel, I—“

“Nope, no hard feelings. Everyone was a little hot under the collar. You know, Apocalypse? Little stressful.” Stepping closer to the steps leading up the magnificently carved front door, Gabriel reached down to remove his shoes, placing them on the dark time-eroded stone. “Sammy, no shoes. Something about the whole ‘sacred ground’ thing. Best not to ask questions.”

Lucifer was still staring at Gabriel with a kind of pained look on his face, as if he knew an apology wouldn’t be enough. He intended on showing how sorry he was later in the evening, either way.

Sam caught Lucifer’s gaze shifting to him, and he quickly stripped his shoes off, walking up to place them beside Gabriels, and trying to wipe the sand off of his feet to some extent before setting foot on the ancient stone. Even beneath his feet, it felt like nothing he had felt before, warmed by the now setting desert sun, smoothed by thousands of years of storms.

“Shall we?” Gabriel reached out, and put a hand on the door, perfectly center. Lucifer walked forward carefully, head bowed, as if in reverence, begging for nothing to go wrong.

Sam didn’t know what to expect. But his trust was in the two Archangels before him, and that would always remain. The war was over, the fighting was done, and the bloodshed had halted.

It was time to reconcile all things.

The whisper began, and Sam tried to listen, tried to make out any meaning. He was familiar with written Enochian now, knew how to form the shape of the timeless letters, but the sounds were still a challenge—and if he were to guess, the Enochian Gabriel was speaking was older than the tones he had heard before, a different dialect.

Glancing over, Lucifer’s eyes were closed, and his lips moved, matching Gabriel’s speech. Sam felt something cold clench his heart, and a shiver tore through him. It always caught him off guard, to remember that Lucifer had been an Angel.

The brightest of all. And being locked in the cage didn’t stop him from remembering each and every word of his mother tongue. He never forgot who he was.

Sam wondered if forgetting would have been a blessing in disguise. How would it be, to know that you were God’s favorite, and yet were trapped in a cage like an animal?

Though the saying went ‘Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.’ Maybe that quote had come from Lucifer himself.

He heard the creak of the door, foreboding, the strong gold and iron opening, to reveal a short hallway, no illumination. Yet, before that, in a nook beside the opening, there was a small table, carved wood—and upon it, surrounded by candles, burning by a spell, he guessed, a golden bowl, with what looked like water within. The smell from it was strong, however—lavender, maybe. Gabriel stood in the doorway, looking at them both.

“This is sacred water, Sam, from the Garden. Yes, that garden. Infused with oil that purifies. For humans, you know.” He cocked his head to the side. “I’ve been in here redecorating, so I know that I don’t need it. Archangel and everything. But you, kiddo, you’ll need it.” Sam looked down, and Gabriel rushed to add, “Now, don’t look like that. It isn’t because there is anything wrong with you, not that demon blood garbage or the fact that you are the vessel to the Adversary,” Lucifer glanced up with an irritated look, “it’s something for any human that enters here. It could be Mother Teresa, she’d still need this. Part of the security. Can’t go past this front cairn without purification”

Sam nodded, feeling a little better. “Lucifer won’t need it, will he? I mean, Archangel?”

Gabriel quickly nodded, but then faltered. “I’m not…I’m not sure.” He regarded Lucifer with a confused expression. “Thoughts?” His voice was quiet, sadder than he had seen it. Sam knew that Lucifer and Gabriel had been meeting, reacquainting themselves. He knew that Gabriel’s feelings for his big brother were close to worship.

He knew that Gabriel wanted things to be as they once were. Because apparently, they had been a kind of perfection that Sam could never grasp, not with his messed up little life.

They loved each other. A kind of love that humans couldn’t begin to understand. And definitely a kind of love that human brothers would never think twice about.

“I’d rather not burst into flames, thank you.” He said it low, mockingly, and Gabriel shot him a look of disapproval, as if to say ‘Can we not joke about this? Can we let what is sacred be sacred?’

Lucifer’s face told the entire story, though. He was afraid. He was sorry. He wasn’t ready to be tested like this.

“Let me just…make it precautionary.” Gabriel spoke quietly, reaching out to dip his fingers into the water.  Sam knew what was happening.

Gabriel didn’t want to know the answer. He didn’t want to know if his brother would burn or not. Because if Lucifer did catch fire, if he did suffer the wrath of this Holy place, than he would truly be fallen from grace, cut off entirely, no longer the Brightest of his father’s creations.

He couldn’t handle that.

“This is a first, isn’t it, Luci,” he said calmly, as he walked towards the other man, “Me giving you a blessing. Seems a little monotonous, doesn’t it?”

Gabriel was holding it together.

Lucifer looked at his bare feet, not crossing the threshold. Sam stood in much the same position beside him, not knowing what would happen if he crossed over, being an impure human. Surely, an impure Angel was much more threatened.

Sam watched as Gabriel raised his fingers, touching Lucifer’s forehead, and began to chant once again in the foreign tongue. The eyes of the King of Demons widened as he seemed to process the words, and Sam thought for a moment that he was going to rush past Gabriel, in an effort to prove to himself that he wasn’t completely ruined.

Sam knew he wasn’t all gone. He had seen inside Lucifer. He had seen the brightness of the Sun, buried underneath millions of layers of ash and bones.

Gabriel continued for a few moments longer, his voice wavering barely on the last punctuated syllable, before his hand drifted. Golden eyes searched blue, as he cupped Lucifer’s face, other hand coming to rest on his brother’s chest. He found his voice. “You feel like you can come in?”

Sam suddenly felt like he was watching something very private, before he realized he would be seeing more of it that night.

Lucifer raised his hands, gripping Gabriel’s, pulling them down—But Gabriel wouldn’t have it, stretching up to press his lips to his brother’s forehead, pulling away very slowly, and whispering something that sounded very much like ‘Welcome Home.’

“Gabriel, don’t look so downtrodden. It only makes sense, to have given me the ritual—“

“No, Lucifer. Don’t.” The messengers voice was final, hurt. He had pulled away, and was dipping his fingers in the bowl again, prepared to do the same to Sam.

Lucifer tread lightly, seeing the pain in his brothers eyes, at the way things had turned out. He knew that Gabriel purifying him wasn’t quite done—It may take a night to do, an entire night of ritual. “You cannot even seal it with a kiss?”

Sam looked up, eyes wide, knowing it, yet not knowing it until that very moment. Lucifer continued, “Also, Sam is part of me. I’d be willing to bet that your purifying me, purified him as well.”

About to speak up and say ‘I don’t want to be a guinea pig,’, he realized he didn’t have time, as Lucifer reached out an arm, a hand on Sam’s back, and pushed, forcing him to trip over the threshold into the room.

He was ready to open his eyes and see hell—and yet, not a thing happened. Lucifer was usually right, when it came to talking about Sam. It was unnerving, and Gabriel didn’t look impressed.

“Still waiting on that kiss, little brother. You know,” He smirked, licking his lips, “The ritual, and all.”

Gabriel sighed loudly, grabbing Sam’s hand before grabbing Lucifer too, pulling them down the dark hallway, without a word. His hands were warm, and wet from the holy water. As they continued down the hallway for a few more steps, they walked through a sheer white curtain—into a circular room.

In the center of the room was what looked like a soft area, a bed, surrounded by soft pillows and blankets of silk, with fantastically adorned gold’s and silvers. From the ceiling hung regal looking tapestries, with various symbols on them, and on the stone walls were paintings, from various periods of time, ones that meant the most to Gabriel. The other rooms weren't as important, though he had installed a kitchen, and other amenities, which he knew Sam would appreciate. Incense burned around the room, sticks of cinnamon and lavender, making the air heavy.

To Sam, the scents made him want to worship. Because beside him were two of the most powerful beings God had created, two beings whom he had dreamt about on more than one occasion, about how they would look, were he able to gaze upon their glory without risking his body.

He hadn’t brought anything with him—Gabriel had told him to pack light. Standing barefoot on the ornate carpet, he took a few steps in, looking in awe, and hearing a voice behind him. “Make yourself at home, kiddo. This is your place now. Well, our place. The ultimate safe haven.”

Sam turned to say thank you, but the scene before him took his breath away.

Lucifer was leaning down, head bowed, but Sam could see his lips moving against Gabriel’s ear. There was a fire burning nearby, in an ornate fireplace, and the crackling was making it difficult to pick up—but he gathered it was Enochian. When he pulled his face away just a bit, Gabriel was looking up at him with wide eyes, and he suddenly looked so much smaller than Lucifer—and not only in height. Lucifer’s hands had come to rest on Gabriel’s waist, barely touching, hesitant.

Gabriel’s hand reached up, once again cupping Lucifer’s face, as he slowly moved his lips to brush against his brothers, at first a question, asking permission to let walls fall. Sam wasn’t a problem—they could see inside of him, he was just human. They had seen his wants, his fears.

But he had never seen either Gabriel or Lucifer being vulnerable. And that was what love could make you.

Sam was transfixed, slowly walking down to the low point of the room, the large bed, able to accommodate many more than three. He lowered himself, not wanting to startle the two Angels.

He wanted to see this.

Gabriel had raised his other hand, cupping Lucifer’s face in both hands, reverent. Emotions had to be released, millennia of pain, loneliness, loss, all built up, coming down at once, in this holy room in the middle of the desert.

To pay homage to his brightest of brothers, bow down before him, press his brow against the ground he walked on. To give himself completely to the Morning Star.

As his apology. His punishment.

Lucifer dug his fingers into Gabriel’s waist, pressing his lips harder into Gabriel’s, not giving the other the chance to choose. A deep kiss, silent, the shorter Archangel’s hands trembling as they touched Lucifer’s cold skin.

As they pulled apart to breathe, something akin to a sob tore from Gabriel’s throat, as he lowered his head, hands falling down Lucifer’s chest to grip at the fabric of his deep green shirt.

Sam was confused, words lost. It was private. But they had invited him here, and maybe he had a right to know.

Lucifer reached up to grab the others hands, and gently led Gabriel to where Sam sat, urging him to sit. He wouldn’t lift his head, and wasn’t letting go of one of Lucifer’s hands, his smaller form trembling.

“Gabriel, I wish you wouldn’t.” Lucifer spoke quietly, being unusually gentle with his words. “We are here to relax, aren’t we? Give our Sammy a nice time away?”

Gold eyes looked up, meeting Sam’s confused ones, and whispering. “We are, Lucifer, it’s…just been a long time. A very long time.” He sighed raggedly, looking at his brother with fallen features. “Forgive me, Lucifer, forgive me. I tried, you had to know that I tried, I tried every spell, every ritual—“

Sam understood. The proximity to Lucifer, the blessings performed, had torn open the wounds of seeing his brother falling from grace, being bound and chained in Hell, for eternity. He never knew that Gabriel had tried to get him out. 

Though, if it were Dean, he knows he would have done anything. Become a demon himself, even. 

Lucifer reached out, gripping his chin. “I have forgiven you, Gabriel.” He smirked. “But if you feel so inclined to make it up to me…I can think of some things you can do tonight.” 

Gabriel looked at him, a cross between annoyed at the joke, and truly pondering the words, willing to do anything to rise up in Lucifer's eyes as the one good son. His eyes darted to Sam, as if remembering that he were in the room, but he didn't pull away. 

"Tell me what to do, Lucifer. Let me heal you."

Lucifer smiled, licking his lips, and also taking a look at Sam. "Firstly, let's get rid of these clothes. Now is the time, my dear Sam, for you to see that Angels can feel love, perhaps more strongly than you humans ever could. Watch, and learn."  


End file.
